Compare the2025 Mazda CX-90VS 2025 Hyundai Palisade

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-90 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Hyundai Palisade doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Mazda CX-90 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Palisade doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The CX-90 Premium has a standard Secondary Collision Reduction System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Palisade doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-90. But it costs extra on the Palisade.

Both the CX-90 and the Palisade have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mazda CX-90 is safer than the Palisade:

The Mazda CX-90 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Palisade is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024, though it hasn’t yet been rated in the updated moderate overlap frontal test, a requirement for the “Top Safety Pick Plus” award.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Hyundai is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 4 places higher in reliability than Hyundai.

The CX-90’s standard 3.3 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 70 lbs.-ft. more torque (332 vs. 262) than the Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6. The CX-90 PHEV’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 32 more horsepower (323 vs. 291) and 107 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 262) than the Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6. The CX-90 Turbo S’ standard 3.3 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 49 more horsepower (340 vs. 291) and 107 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 262) than the Palisade’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the CX-90 PHEV 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Hyundai Palisade:

On the EPA test cycle the CX-90 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Palisade:

The CX-90 PHEV can travel with zero emissions for 26 miles. The Palisade can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the CX-90’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Palisade doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

For better stopping power the CX-90 Turbo S/PHEV’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Palisade:

The CX-90’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Palisade are solid, not vented.

The CX-90 stops much shorter than the Palisade:

For better traction, the CX-90 has larger standard tires than the Palisade (265/55R19 vs. 245/60R18). The CX-90 Premium/Turbo S’ tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Palisade (275/45R21 vs. 245/60R18).

The CX-90’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Palisade’s standard 60 series tires. The CX-90 Premium/Turbo S’ tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Palisade’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-90 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Palisade. The CX-90 Premium/Turbo S’ 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Palisade.

The CX-90 has variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Palisade doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-90’s wheelbase is 8.6 inches longer than on the Palisade (122.8 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The CX-90’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51.7% to 48.3%) than the Palisade’s (56% to 44%). This gives the CX-90 more stable handling and braking.

The CX-90 Premium Plus handles at .85 G’s, while the Palisade SEL HTRAC pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-90 Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Palisade Limited HTRAC (27.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-90’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Palisade’s (38.1 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-90 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Palisade (8 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the CX-90 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-90 PHEV Premium/Turbo S’ minimum ground clearance is .2 inch higher than on the Palisade (8.1 vs. 7.9 inches).

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the CX-90 Premium Plus is quieter than the Palisade Limited HTRAC (68 vs. 69 dB).

The engine in the CX-90 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Palisade. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The CX-90’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Palisade’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

On a hot day the CX-90’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Palisade can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CX-90’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Palisade SE/SEL/XRT’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-90 Turbo S has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Palisade doesn’t offer cornering lights.